Miniature two-axis pointing systems are useful for many applications, such as video rate imaging and display, scanning dermatology lasers to achieve precise exposure levels, scanning laser sources in fluorescence microscopes and imaging instruments, moving laser beams in in-vivo and in-vitro micro laser surgery, pointing laser beams for range finding (LIDAR), 3D measurement, spectroscopy, remote sensing of atmospheric conditions, pollution sources, or explosives, stabilization of motion to correct for hand tremors, laser marking, engraving or machining, laser beam steering, tracking for free-space optical communication systems, variable optical attenuation, fiber-to-fiber optical switching, pointing and jitter compensation of targeting lasers, and automated obstacle detection for tracking and avoidance for robots, vehicles, or UAV's, by way of example.
For larger pointing systems, with payloads much bigger than 20 mm diameter, nested gimbal mechanisms or two-mirror galvanometer driven devices have been employed. These types of pointing systems are difficult to miniaturize. For pointing systems with payloads much smaller than 10 mm diameter, MEMS (micro electro mechanical systems) devices have been utilized. MEMS devices use silicon micro machining and other semiconductor manufacturing processes and are generally limited by small diameter mirrors fabricated from a limited number of materials, the need for more than 100 volts to actuate the mirror, limited angular range, slower dynamic response for mirrors larger than a few millimeters, and the lack of commercially integrated drive and control electronics.